I know. I tried to get them all to say something as I reported on the project last week. But everyone's concerned that if they comment, Apple could feel it hasn't been able to shape the message and will bail on the project.

With applications in place and a public meeting scheduled for March 15 that seems unlikely, but what does a little ol' retail reporter know?

And on Monday, the paranoia spread. A local Twitter-er going by @gak--pdx wrote something to the effect of "Please don't let PDX government foul this up," adding a link to a web site outlining what many suspect to be the plans for the new above-ground Apple store.

This morning, Mayor Sam Adams retweeted @gak_pdx's tweet with the note "We have been working to make this happen for a while now."

The Portland Business Journal quickly jumped on the tweet, writing in a headline that Mayor Adams "had confirmed" the project was an Apple store.

The Mayor's Office was quick to respond to the Journal's reporter, insisting that the tweet wasn't a confirmation. Instead, it was made clear, the tweet just pointed to efforts aimed at spurring new developments in the downtown Portland retail core and attracting retailers of any stripe -- not just the sleek glass and "bead blasted, matte finish stainless steel panel" Apple's known for.

By midday, the Journal's headline changed to "Adams' tweet hints" at new downtown Apple store.

View full sizeUnderU4menUnderU4men has closed its store on Southwest Broadway and opened a 5,000-square-foot flagship location in downtown Portland's West End shopping district at Southwest 10th Ave.

Also, UnderU4men has opened its 5,000-square-foot flagship in downtown Portland with a grand opening specials planned for April. The store, formerly located on Southwest Broadway, converted two former boutique stores into the new massive space for its collection of men's underwear and swimwear. The new address is 800 S.W. Washington St.

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Lastly all those women's basketball fans and Aries Apparel shoppers can combine their loves into a money-winning prospect. The Hillsboro retailer is offering a NCAA March Madness contest, in which those who choose at least seven of the "Elite Eight" team will receive $10 gift cards. Do better than that? Get a $15 gift card and water bottle if you correctly choose the Final Four. And for the mind-reader who guesses the champion goes a $100 gift card (stipulations exist if there are multiple winners).

Brackets are available at the store, located at 1890 N.W. 188th Ave., which will soon have a sister location when owner Diana Marsden opens her second location at Clackamas Town Center later this year.